Welcome to my Sicilian Kitchen

July 22, 2013

In Sicily I’ve pared my kitchen down to the bare essentials: a set of mis-matched dishes and bowls, one frying pan, a toaster. No freezer (one of the best gelato shops in the world is just down the steps). No mixer (good exercise, beating egg whites by hand!). No tea kettle (pan works, no?). No microwave.

More happy with less. Took me years to figure this out.

What I keep above my deep stone sink: two colanders, potholders knit by local ladies, a dried round of the local bread, measuring cups and spoons.

The salt (sale) pot is filled with Sicilian rock salt from the Trapani salt pans. The old coffee grinder, gifted by my simpatico orange-suited garbage man, reigns like some kind of Platonic representation of Human Sweetness.

The Moroccan tea glasses from the Modica flea market, €1 apiece, remind me I must get back to Morocco. The little clay bird-whistle is a good luck charm from Matera, that amazing town in Basilicata that looks so much like Sicily.

The whisk, a Sicilian antique, unleashes flakes of paint as I stir my lemon gelo. I fish them out, dreaming of the Sicilian housewife who once upon a time long ago concocted this very dessert with this very whisk…

Jann, the crocheted pot holders and the sale container stole my heart! How I loved peering into your kitchen, lady! The sentiment behind the whish–ah, makes me sigh. And the round of bread! ha! Love it! Kim said it best–the color, simplicity, and the nostalgia behind the whisk, what’s not to love? Bella cucina, amica!

reminds me of an army, the top shelf the general, his aids right and left, the little drummer boy in the red hat, special forces in the green beret’s, the infantry on the right in white helmets while the artillery hangs below ready to do battle against any invading recipe.

I love your kitchen, love it. You have given me the courage to go to my over-stuffed pantry and kitchen and begin The Paring. I inherited recently my mom and gram’s kitchen everything. I know I will never get rid of the older items as they’ve lasted forever and have forever more to go, but there is plenty to share with someone else. We’ve been without a microwave for 3 years now and don’t miss it a bit! It may take a wee bit more time to prepare meals, drinks, etc., but food tastes and is nutritionally better!

Thank you for this comment, Nan. You made me smile thinking of you entering your pantry with new resolve. I know how hard it is to inherit piles of stuff–and how hard it is to figure out what to do with it all. Went thru that several year ago. Buon corraggio!

Lovely. We use the same spice jars! There was a whole box of unused baby food left behind by the previous owner. As we are sans bambini I dumped the baby food, washed them out, and now they sport pepper, sea salt (also from Trapani), oregano, etc.

Jann, thanks for sharing your lovely little kitchen with us! I’ve long suspected that we in the States have far too much “stuff,” as evidenced by the number of storage units and sheds popping up everywhere! Paring back must be such a freeing experience!

Grazie a Dio the renovation is over, though actually it’s not because there were several things I never finished–I more or less just gave up at a certain point, ha ha. Hope you’re doing well, Rosann, and can’t wait for updates on Rome one of these days.

I’m smiling, Debra–so your mom-in-law is the pared down type, too? Very funny about the one cheap steak knife. I love a good set of knives, but I’m still working with a cheap set I bought from an expat who was leaving Italy to go back to the US. Definitely time to upgrade.

When we renovated our kitchen 2 years ago,and because of my travels to Italy and using tiny kitchens, I knew I could go minimalist,and did. I love it!
Less is more for sure.
I am in love with you ceramic shelf brackets and the rod that it holds. Is this something I could purchase while in Sicily? I will be there the first few days of November. Would love to see more pics of your place. It seems so darling!

Ciao Liz, you can get those ceramic shelf brackets in Caltagirone. When I shopped there were smaller ones (like these) but also large ones that were beautiful. One of these days I’ll post more pix of the house. Have a great trip in November! I love that time of year in Sicily. (Few tourists!)